MBOMBELA – In order to experience a long life-span, young girls should start exercising safe sex to realise their dreams in life.
Those were the wise words of MEC for Health and Social Services, Ms Candith Mashego-Dlamini to more than 450 girls between the ages of 16-24 that converged at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday during the third leg launch of the “Zazi – Know Your Strength” HIV/Aids campaign for the Ehlanzeni district.

It was launched in Gert Sibande in June and last month in Nkangala.

This leg was such a tell-tale affair, that most of the dialogues that were exchanged with the girls were awe-inspiring and came from the heart.

That, in turn, lived up to the main objective of the campaign, to have the girls share their life experiences pertaining to their love lives with their peers, especially with older men, popularly referred to as “sugar daddies.”
The girls were drawn from the five local municipalities of Mbombela, Umjindi, Nkomazi, Thaba Chweu and Bushbuckridge, and all had stories to tell.
“We come here as your open parents who can interact with you on an open platform. We know that most of you never receive any sexual talk or education from your parents. Our research has revealed that girls in your age group are more prone to contracting the dreaded disease, HIV/Aids.
“Comparatively speaking, boys of your age group, have a far less percentage than you. It clearly shows that you’re more involved with older men, your sugar daddies who buy you expensive gifts and pamper you with money in return for sexual favours.
“Yes, some of it is through peer pressure, others it is the poverty at home that leads them into this. But we are saying, as government, that you can still be a better person without indulging in such acts. There is that inner voice in you that always guides you. You have to listen to that voice as it will save you from a lot of problems and better your livelihood.
“If you honestly share your issues with us, then we will be able to assist you and spread this gospel among your peers back home. In that manner, we shall have instilled a lasting legacy that will prolong your lives,” said Mashego-Dlamini.

Chief ambassador for the Zazi campaign, Miss Mpumalanga 2013, Ntandoyenkosi Kunene was also forthcoming on the girls as she said: “I can see hopefuls here. I can see future leaders in you. I can also witness beauty from within you.
“Stand up and hug yourselves and say:’ I am beautiful. I am smart. I am destined for greatness’. We live in difficult times and we’re referred to as the lost generation as we indulge in unsafe sexual practices.
“We have forgotten where we’re headed to in life, but we can still turn the wheel around and face all the challenges in life. Personally, I’ve changed roles and identities in life because I learnt to discipline myself.
“I grew up as a Kunene girl, then my role and identity changed to a beauty queen for all the titles I’ve attained. When I went into tertiary, then I was Ntando from Wits University. What we do with our lives is a definition of who we really are.
“I must hasten to say that you need to be patient in life as everything has its time. If you’re not patient, you’ll end up being a patient. It is time for us to take charge of our destiny. It is very important that we heed the call to protect ourselves by condomising, if not, it will cost you your life.
“You need to have confidence in yourselves and know your status. You must have patience in what you do, don’t rush, your time is certainly coming,” she said.
During the panel discussions which was led by Mashego-Dlamini, Kunene, Mr Elphas Nkosi, Ms Dudu Mdluli, Ms Babusisiwe Mbuli and Ms Thuli Nigel, the girls were forthcoming with various experiences which were expertly tackled head-on by the panel.

There was also eKasi FM’s presenter, Fortunate Ndlovu who shared her life experience as a person living with Aids, but surviving and going stronger by the day.
It emerged from the dialogue that followed, as expertly directed by Mzimari Productions’ CEO, Ms Gugu Nyarenda, that many of them have started dating from the age of 12 years and it also transpired that the definition of dating was unknown among them.

It also emerged that most of them were sexually active and were uncompromising about it.
One of them even revealed that she was involved with her boyfriend and indulged in unprotected sex and curtly said, “I can’t resist it as I recently tested negative for HIV.”

She was chastised by Mashego-Dlamini and urged to protect herself.

Other problems that emerged ranged from the temptations of sugar daddies with their monies; having multiple affairs; resisting preventative measures; defying or lying to parents and overall, bending down to peer pressure.
Each local municipality nominated five co-ordinators who will run the programme at their respective areas with the assistance of Kunene to interact with them at grassroots level, in the process involving the parents, too.
The programmes, according to Mashego-Dlamini, will be headed by the respective MMCs for social services in all 18 local municipalities in the province, and executive mayors are also expected to play a critical role in this venture.
“It’s about time that we get our communities talking and resolving problems on the ground. We need to save lives and we need longevity. 100 girls drawn from the three districts will go to camp from September 26-28 in Sabie, to be honed with skills in order to tackle the problems back home.

“We mean business in re-building our communities. They need us and we need them. All of these girls are Zazi ambassadors and they will articulately tackle these problems, it’s not an overnight thing, but will be an on-going entity,” she ended.

Speaking to Gugulethu Motobatse (15) from Barberton was a relief when she said: “I’ve learnt a lot from this workshop. The issue of sugar daddies, protective sex, not rushing into things and that going to the camp was not a fun trip, but serious business.
“Before this, I liked boys a lot, but now I’ve realised that it was a wrong choice when l could focus on better things in life. I’m sure going to recruit others in my community and share this experience with them,” she said.

Lungile Manzini from Tonga said: “ I was so much impressed with Fortunate’s story of living positively with the virus. After all, being diagnosed positive doesn’t mean you’ve been sentenced to death, as long as you live responsibly, eat healthy and take your medication as prescribed, you will live a normal life.”